I.a going in or into, an entering, entrance (class.).
I. Lit.: “nocturnus introitus Zmyrnam quasi in hostium urbem,” Cic. Phil. 11, 2, 5: “militum,” Caes. B. C. 1, 21: “in urbem,” id. Dom. 28: “sol in Geminos introitum facit,” enters, Col. 11, 2, 43: “primo statim introitu,” at his very first entrance, Tac. H. 1, 31: “aliquem introitu prohibere,” Cic. Caecin. 13: “cujus in Graeciam,” Just. 2, 11, 1: “introitum alicujus rei pellere,” to keep a thing from entering, Plin. 20, 9, 39, § 101.—With in and abl. (rare): “sol introitum in Cancro facit,” Col. 11, 2, 49.—
2. Esp., the mouth of a river, its entrance into another: “Averni,” Sil. 13, 398; also as the entrance to it from the sea (cf. B. infra): “Indi,” Plin. 12, 12, 25, § 41 al. —
B. Transf., a place of entrance, passage: “ad omnes introitus, qua adiri poterat,” Cic. Caecin. 8: “omnes introitus erant praeclusi,” Caes. B. G. 5, 9: “clandestinus,” Suet. Ner. 48: “aures duros et quasi corneolos habere introitus,” Cic. N. D. 2, 57: “portus,” Caes. B. C. 3, 39, 2; Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 31, § 80: “aedis,” Nep. Paus. 5, 3: “ad ipsum introitum exspectare macelli,” Juv. 11, 10. —In the abl.: “INTROITO,” Inscr. Orell. 2103. —
II. Trop.
A. An entering, entrance upon an office or into a society: “certum aliquid pro introitu dare,” Plin. Ep. 10, 113: “sacerdotii,” Suet. Claud. 9: “militiam illam cum introitu comparari volo,” i. e. entrancemoney, Dig. 32, 1, 102.—
B. A beginning, introduction, prelude (syn.: “principium, exordium, prooemium): fabulae Clodianae,” Cic. Att. 1, 18: “defensionis,” id. Cael. 2, 3: “in introitu hujus operis,” Plin. 6, 27, 31, § 141.
